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I was reading that. Buying out Kabs would save about 1.5 mil this season but cost about 750k next year. With the contracts coming off the books next year, J.R. may do that if another dman were signed (Seids included). We don't need another season of a 2.2 million dollar suit wearer in the press box even though I am usually against buy outs. It's your typical "money for nothing" but you don't get the chicks for free (shout out to Dire Straits).

My thinking is that JR is looking to bring in a veteran defensemen for 1 year. He buys out Kaberle, he'll save $1.5M, which he can then use towards bringing in that player.

Kaberle has a year left on that contract. He can buy him out and bring in that veteran defensemen to replace him. And like Caniac97 said, Tanabe's/Hamilton's contracts come off the books.

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If JR signs Seidenberg for a slight increase, that will really put heat on the Babchuk thing. I think he ends up getting Seidenberg and Babchuk back, then buy out Kabs. Then if he really hates Babs he trades Babs and shakes things up a little, if it is mostly posturing we go with nearly the exact same team as last year, which it is really lookin like will happen.

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My opinion, for what that's worth, is that every locker room needs a new face or two in it every season.

I think this team over achieved in making it to the ECF's this season. That may not be a popular opinion, but I think we ran out of horses in the ECF's and the sweep was the result. It would be great to say that all we needed was to bring everyone back, but to be honest with the evaluation, we (or at least I) know that we have a couple of glaring weaknesses that aren't going to change by bringing everyone back. If we had a young team that needed another year's experience, maybe. We ain't a young team.

We need to be bigger. We need a top 4 defensive defenseman. We need Staal's winger. I don't want to hear that if Staal is so great that he could play with anybody. If we are going to get our money's worth out of Staal, we are going to have to pony up for that winger. Getting the band back together isn't going to fix any of those issues.

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My opinion, for what that's worth, is that every locker room needs a new face or two in it every season.

I think this team over achieved in making it to the ECF's this season. That may not be a popular opinion, but I think we ran out of horses in the ECF's and the sweep was the result. It would be great to say that all we needed was to bring everyone back, but to be honest with the evaluation, we (or at least I) know that we have a couple of glaring weaknesses that aren't going to change by bringing everyone back. If we had a young team that needed another year's experience, maybe. We ain't a young team.

We need to be bigger. We need a top 4 defensive defenseman. We need Staal's winger. I don't want to hear that if Staal is so great that he could play with anybody. If we are going to get our money's worth out of Staal, we are going to have to pony up for that winger. Getting the band back together isn't going to fix any of those issues.

I think nearly everyone on here would agree with you on this.. we all watched it happen and most of us realized the team had run out of gas.

I don't like wholesale changes, but if a guy is a free agent and wants to move on, and we bring in a guy to replace him (from a UFA signing, trade or call up) a little fresh blood is always welcome. I think that holds true for any sport. I think several of the River Rats players will spend time with us this year, especially on D and that youth and energy will perk up the locker room I hope. Plus, watching guys like Recchi/Weight, Ruutu, Samsonov, Pitkanen, Cole etc come in halfway through the season and make a huge impact I think your right about new faces (or old faces returning in Cole's case).

JR has surprised us in the past, and he will again. Granted, I still think resigning Ruutu is priority #1 right now. A UFA or a trade may come later.

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JR has surprised us in the past, and he will again. Granted, I still think resigning Ruutu is priority #1 right now. A UFA or a trade may come later.

I have to agree with you on this one, 1st we need to sign Ruutu. Once that is don't and only once that is done can we entertain a UFA or a trade. We have time and the current economic situation has left more than a few good players out there looking for a home.

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My opinion, for what that's worth, is that every locker room needs a new face or two in it every season.

I think this team over achieved in making it to the ECF's this season. That may not be a popular opinion, but I think we ran out of horses in the ECF's and the sweep was the result. It would be great to say that all we needed was to bring everyone back, but to be honest with the evaluation, we (or at least I) know that we have a couple of glaring weaknesses that aren't going to change by bringing everyone back. If we had a young team that needed another year's experience, maybe. We ain't a young team.

We need to be bigger. We need a top 4 defensive defenseman. We need Staal's winger. I don't want to hear that if Staal is so great that he could play with anybody. If we are going to get our money's worth out of Staal, we are going to have to pony up for that winger. Getting the band back together isn't going to fix any of those issues.

I actually agree with you also. I think we do need to make a couple of changes. I am personally fine with bringing back our defense from last year minus Kabs. I would rather see the first line winger somehow. Maybe move one or two of our other forwards to do it.

I would not be stunned though if we did get Seids and Babs back and not make any serious moves.

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My opinion, for what that's worth, is that every locker room needs a new face or two in it every season.

I think this team over achieved in making it to the ECF's this season. That may not be a popular opinion, but I think we ran out of horses in the ECF's and the sweep was the result. It would be great to say that all we needed was to bring everyone back, but to be honest with the evaluation, we (or at least I) know that we have a couple of glaring weaknesses that aren't going to change by bringing everyone back. If we had a young team that needed another year's experience, maybe. We ain't a young team.

We need to be bigger. We need a top 4 defensive defenseman. We need Staal's winger. I don't want to hear that if Staal is so great that he could play with anybody. If we are going to get our money's worth out of Staal, we are going to have to pony up for that winger. Getting the band back together isn't going to fix any of those issues.

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I once heard that the definition of insanity is trying the exact same thing and expecting a different result. Why sign all the exaaaaaaaaact same players? We have obviouse holes in our 'O' and 'D'. It's not like we made it to game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final with what we had. We got pounded in the Eastern Conference Final by a clearly supperior team and look at why and how they were constructed. Trade for some better defensive D. Get a first line foward for Staal that actually has some offensive skill and size (not Ruutu or Cole). There are still some players out there that would fit the "budget" and can produce. Afinogenov man I'm tellin you.

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My opinion, for what that's worth, is that every locker room needs a new face or two in it every season.

I think this team over achieved in making it to the ECF's this season. That may not be a popular opinion, but I think we ran out of horses in the ECF's and the sweep was the result. It would be great to say that all we needed was to bring everyone back, but to be honest with the evaluation, we (or at least I) know that we have a couple of glaring weaknesses that aren't going to change by bringing everyone back. If we had a young team that needed another year's experience, maybe. We ain't a young team.

We need to be bigger. We need a top 4 defensive defenseman. We need Staal's winger. I don't want to hear that if Staal is so great that he could play with anybody. If we are going to get our money's worth out of Staal, we are going to have to pony up for that winger. Getting the band back together isn't going to fix any of those issues.

Best post I've seen here.

Although I would be fine with the new blood on offense being Boychuk or Bowman. I think we should at least give them a big shot to prove themselves even maybe try them out on Staal's wing and just hope for something great. We aren't going to sign any offensive FA unless they let Ruutu go and I find it very hard to believe anyone replacing him around the same price will be as helpful to our team.

I was extremely happy about JR talking about buying out Kaberle though, he was really scaring me with all this talk that Kabs can step up and fill Seids position. Probably the best off-season move he could possibly make. We need a winger for Staal but that really isn't an option anymore this season after we signed Cole/Larose back. Just hope for next off-season like we do every off-season. The only real way I think we will have another playoff run season right now with our budget/current team is trading for a legitimate top-4 Defenseman and re-signing Ruutu. That or we need to resign Seids/Babs, although I really think unfortunately for us that Babs is too far gone and JR was the one who pushed him that far away.

Unfortunately every day it seems less and less like everyone was trying to tell me that Ruutu's contract talks are going smoothly and he will definitely be resigned, just to be patient. OK, it has been like a week and a half in which JR's only job was to resign Ruutu. Is anyone starting to believe me that they aren't going as smoothly as people would like to think? Maybe Ruu is asking for more than JR is willing to give? If we lost Ruutu because JR won't fork over the $$ required I find it almost impossible to believe we will go into next season and achieve the same success as last. I mean we already have almost $47 million in player salary signed for next season without Ruu/another D they say they need and yet then they say in the same article that our budget is $50 million. Somethings gotta give. I see the same old excuses of "asking price to high" ect. That will ultimately mean we are going into next season with the exact same team minus some key players that we don't have to budget to replace. We are going to see a lot of our AHL depth players next year, Harrison was probably their answer for filling out our D.

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I honestly think once Ruutu's signed, JR's done. He can make claims about trading all he wants, but it won't be the first time he'll use the excuse "The asking price was too high" or some other canned answer. He's got way too much confidence in Kabs/Wallin/our AHL defensemen, and I wouldn't be surprised if we started the season with one of them in our top 4.

He's already said that Rodney will have to "play himself off the team" and that "one or two of McBain, Carson, and Rodney could end up playing here this season". Which is fine, assuming they play on the 3rd pairing. That means, however, that Kabs or Wallin will be playing in the Top 4, and that's a significant downgrade in our defense from last year.

This. Might as well turn our hopes to next off-season... for the umpteenth time. I'm sure they will get our first line winger for Staal they have been talking about for years and fix our defense then... right?

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Although I would be fine with the new blood on offense being Boychuk or Bowman. I think we should at least give them a big shot to prove themselves even maybe try them out on Staal's wing and just hope for something great. We aren't going to sign any offensive FA unless they let Ruutu go and I find it very hard to believe anyone replacing him around the same price will be as helpful to our team.

I was extremely happy about JR talking about buying out Kaberle though, he was really scaring me with all this talk that Kabs can step up and fill Seids position. Probably the best off-season move he could possibly make. We need a winger for Staal but that really isn't an option anymore this season after we signed Cole/Larose back. Just hope for next off-season like we do every off-season. The only real way I think we will have another playoff run season right now with our budget/current team is trading for a legitimate top-4 Defenseman and re-signing Ruutu. That or we need to resign Seids/Babs, although I really think unfortunately for us that Babs is too far gone and JR was the one who pushed him that far away.

Unfortunately every day it seems less and less like everyone was trying to tell me that Ruutu's contract talks are going smoothly and he will definitely be resigned, just to be patient. OK, it has been like a week and a half in which JR's only job was to resign Ruutu. Is anyone starting to believe me that they aren't going as smoothly as people would like to think? Maybe Ruu is asking for more than JR is willing to give? If we lost Ruutu because JR won't fork over the $$ required I find it almost impossible to believe we will go into next season and achieve the same success as last. I mean we already have almost $47 million in player salary signed for next season without Ruu/another D they say they need and yet then they say in the same article that our budget is $50 million. Somethings gotta give. I see the same old excuses of "asking price to high" ect. That will ultimately mean we are going into next season with the exact same team minus some key players that we don't have to budget to replace. We are going to see a lot of our AHL depth players next year, Harrison was probably their answer for filling out our D.

How about that AB, there are some good posters here after all unlike you said elsewhere.

Why all the panic from a few? JR is telling us and any potential player exactly what his plans are every step of the way through the media. He's gonna sign Ruutu. They've already agreed on that much, they're just haggling out numbers. Its not like Ruutu is the the only thing taking Jr's attention like youre suggesting. The final number for Ruutu has everything to do with anyone else JR may or may not be looking at and of course, the Babs thing has to play itself out. I know its impossible for some to think that maybe Babs and his agent could have any fault in this mess but last I checked, it takes 2 to tango.

Babs needs to take those great offers that are supposedly out there and run because he aint doing any better here and I wouldnt want to stay here either if I was him. When he finally goes, then JR can take his money and maybe Kabs buyout money and make a nice trade.

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I once heard that the definition of insanity is trying the exact same thing and expecting a different result. Why sign all the exaaaaaaaaact same players? We have obviouse holes in our 'O' and 'D'. It's not like we made it to game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final with what we had. We got pounded in the Eastern Conference Final by a clearly supperior team and look at why and how they were constructed. Trade for some better defensive D. Get a first line foward for Staal that actually has some offensive skill and size (not Ruutu or Cole). There are still some players out there that would fit the "budget" and can produce. Afinogenov man I'm tellin you.

Afinoganov is an interesting thought. If I remember right, he ended up in Lindy's dog house and didnt get much play time. Maybe injury too? He's fast and can score and does fit the whole island of misfit theme we have here. We've seen enough thron away/given up on players come here are revive their careers so its at least an interesting thought. How pissed off would the slug fans be if he came here and pulled a Jussi?

This. Might as well turn our hopes to next off-season... for the umpteenth time. I'm sure they will get our first line winger for Staal they have been talking about for years and fix our defense then... right?

Man, you and icefrog999 are quite a pair. We should all just turn in out season tix cause according to these 2 and before JR even finalizes a roster, the season is already over and the Canes suck.

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Although I would be fine with the new blood on offense being Boychuk or Bowman. I think we should at least give them a big shot to prove themselves even maybe try them out on Staal's wing and just hope for something great. We aren't going to sign any offensive FA unless they let Ruutu go and I find it very hard to believe anyone replacing him around the same price will be as helpful to our team.

I was extremely happy about JR talking about buying out Kaberle though, he was really scaring me with all this talk that Kabs can step up and fill Seids position. Probably the best off-season move he could possibly make. We need a winger for Staal but that really isn't an option anymore this season after we signed Cole/Larose back. Just hope for next off-season like we do every off-season. The only real way I think we will have another playoff run season right now with our budget/current team is trading for a legitimate top-4 Defenseman and re-signing Ruutu. That or we need to resign Seids/Babs, although I really think unfortunately for us that Babs is too far gone and JR was the one who pushed him that far away.

Unfortunately every day it seems less and less like everyone was trying to tell me that Ruutu's contract talks are going smoothly and he will definitely be resigned, just to be patient. OK, it has been like a week and a half in which JR's only job was to resign Ruutu. Is anyone starting to believe me that they aren't going as smoothly as people would like to think? Maybe Ruu is asking for more than JR is willing to give? If we lost Ruutu because JR won't fork over the $$ required I find it almost impossible to believe we will go into next season and achieve the same success as last. I mean we already have almost $47 million in player salary signed for next season without Ruu/another D they say they need and yet then they say in the same article that our budget is $50 million. Somethings gotta give. I see the same old excuses of "asking price to high" ect. That will ultimately mean we are going into next season with the exact same team minus some key players that we don't have to budget to replace. We are going to see a lot of our AHL depth players next year, Harrison was probably their answer for filling out our D.

you don't understand the length of time it takes to get some players signed, in years past when it was contract time for Cole it almost always took close to two months. Most of the time it also looked like maybe we wouldn't get him signed but in the end he did. Some contracts only take an hour or two (Cole's two hour dip into free agency this year) and some take longer (Ruutu's last year and Cole's most other years). We still have almost two months before training camp, there is a lot of time. WE WILL NOT LOSE RUUTU, I am sure they are hashing out the dollar amounts and length of contract. JR wants a three year deal and I think Ruutu wants a shorter one (so he can test the UFA market sooner rather than later).

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you don't understand the length of time it takes to get some players signed, in years past when it was contract time for Cole it almost always took close to two months. Most of the time it also looked like maybe we wouldn't get him signed but in the end he did. Some contracts only take an hour or two (Cole's two hour dip into free agency this year) and some take longer (Ruutu's last year and Cole's most other years). We still have almost two months before training camp, there is a lot of time. WE WILL NOT LOSE RUUTU, I am sure they are hashing out the dollar amounts and length of contract. JR wants a three year deal and I think Ruutu wants a shorter one (so he can test the UFA market sooner rather than later).

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you don't understand the length of time it takes to get some players signed, in years past when it was contract time for Cole it almost always took close to two months. Most of the time it also looked like maybe we wouldn't get him signed but in the end he did. Some contracts only take an hour or two (Cole's two hour dip into free agency this year) and some take longer (Ruutu's last year and Cole's most other years). We still have almost two months before training camp, there is a lot of time. WE WILL NOT LOSE RUUTU, I am sure they are hashing out the dollar amounts and length of contract. JR wants a three year deal and I think Ruutu wants a shorter one (so he can test the UFA market sooner rather than later).

If I were Ruutu I would rather test the FA market later rather than sooner. The cap is likely going down next year, and he could easily get more money in a time where the economy isn't tanking.

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I would not be stunned though if we did get Seids and Babs back and not make any serious moves.

Well JR's plan has been to keep the same team, which I'm fine with as next offseason will be big. We have expiring contracts, prospects that will have professional experience under their belt and most likely a lot of cap room.

My hope for next year is that we can put a competitive team on the ice, and make the playoffs. I don't expect much more this year, and look for the year after to be a big one. I know JR has been talking about Bowman/Boychuk/McBain possibly making the team next year, but I hope that is not the case. They have very very limited professional experience, and would benefit greatly with a year in Albany. A great example is how the lockout year in the AHL helped Staal, and at this point I hope Sutter does the same thing and stays in Albany next year. No need with our prospects to rush any of them. I think people see that they are our top prospects and assume they will automatically be 1st/2nd line wingers. THey have to develop, and I would much rather it be in Albany right now.

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Man, you and icefrog999 are quite a pair. We should all just turn in out season tix cause according to these 2 and before JR even finalizes a roster, the season is already over and the Canes suck.

Because clearly, that's what was said. Those were the exact words, no exaggeration on your part whatsoever.

It's real simple. This team, as it's already been said, overachieved when they made it to the ECF. That's fine, always nice to see the occasional deep run, no matter how they come about. However I'm assuming that everyone, like me, wants those kind of runs to become a little more consistent. Well, therein lies the problem. Bringing back the same people except those who have played themselves out of your price range (which are promptly replaced with spare parts) isn't going to help that consistency issue.

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Because clearly, that's what was said. Those were the exact words, no exaggeration on your part whatsoever.

It's real simple. This team, as it's already been said, overachieved when they made it to the ECF. That's fine, always nice to see the occasional deep run, no matter how they come about. However I'm assuming that everyone, like me, wants those kind of runs to become a little more consistent. Well, therein lies the problem. Bringing back the same people except those who have played themselves out of your price range (which are promptly replaced with spare parts) isn't going to help that consistency issue.

I don't totally disagree froggy but we have talent in Albany that somehow we have to work into the equation.

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I think our talent in Albany is overrated by some here. On offense, we've got a mess of future 3rd/4th liners with one or two Top 6 players, and on defense, McBain's the only one I could see playing as a legit Top 4 defenseman, and he's still a year or two away from making the team.

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And to add, we have no prospects who are ready to play beside your franchise player, as some have suggested. If and when we get a 5-6 million dollar playmaker beside Staal, its more likely to be when the team is in good playoff position and JR can add a rental player. Or, when alot of our most experienced forwards contracts expire, which is down the road. History as shown JR is willing to patch some holes cheaply while keeping alot of the same players and the result has been mentioned.

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I'm not saying we are going to suck next year and that the season is over before it starts. I think what I said was already pretty much summed up by everyone here. If we go into next year with the exact same team we had last year except losing Seidenberg and Babchuk and replacing them with AHL players, how is that an improvement? Why do we expect to be better if that is the only thing that changed? I know you keep saying "JR is going to make a magic trade where we give up 4th liners like Eaves and horrible defensemen like Kaberle and we get first line wingers and top-4 Dmen", I just am trying to be a little more realistic.